The story of where horses come from dates back 50 million yearsago. It is interesting to go from a medium fox-sized animal to the large majestic creatures we know and love today.
Several other ancestors emerged before becoming Equus, resembling the horse we know today. EquusSimplicidens, also called the Hagerman horse, appeared about 3.5 million years ago.
From Eohippus to Equus
Drawing of Hagermanhorse (left) with Grevy’s zebra (middle) and Domesticated horse (right)
Early domesticated horses were probably for milk and meat, similar to other livestock.
Around 3500 years ago, they spread to the rest of Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and they had various purposes, including transportation, agricultural work, and warfare.